Can a Two-Week hormone course stop epilepsy before it starts?
NCT ID NCT01367964
First seen Aug 14, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026
Summary
This trial tests whether giving a low dose of the hormone ACTH to infants with early warning signs on their brain wave test (EEG) can prevent West syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Infants between 2 and 12 months old who show a specific pre-seizure brain pattern are treated with daily injections for two weeks. The goal is to see if this early treatment improves the EEG and stops the condition from developing.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), given as a low-dose injection
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could lead to a way to prevent West syndrome in high-risk infants, potentially avoiding seizures and developmental delays.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small early-stage trial, so results may not apply broadly. ACTH can have side effects, and the treatment may not prevent West syndrome in all cases.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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